On Tuesday, April 14, the Jewish Community Foundation (JCF) welcomed teens and their families to its youth philanthropy fair, the B’nai Tzedek Shuk.
This annual event, a highlight of the Foundation’s philanthropic programming, is held to connect teens with Jewish communal organizations for an evening of learning, engagement and fun.
The theme of the event was the “Philanthropy World Cup,” inspired by Kansas City hosting the upcoming FIFA World Cup and JCC Maccabi Games. The theme was selected to reinforce the core Jewish value of collective responsibility and empower teens to take an active role in repairing the world. B’nai Tzedek participants donated more than $3,000 to communal organizations at the Shuk.
The event took place in the Jewish Community Campus social hall, where teens met with representatives from Jewish organizations and learned about each nonprofit’s work. To maximize engagement, the fundholders participated in a trivia challenge to discover interesting facts about each organization represented. Representatives from 20 local nonprofits participated in the event.
“The Shuk is always one of the most meaningful events of the year for me,” said Ruby Sokol, a member of the B’nai Tzedek Youth Council, the cadre of teens that planned the event. “The ability to talk directly with various Jewish organizations in one place helps me make a confident choice of where to make my annual B’nai Tzedek grant.”
The Foundation’s B’nai Tzedek program introduces bar and bat mitzvah-age youth to tzedakah by inviting them to establish their own personal charitable giving accounts at JCF. B’nai Tzedek Funds may be opened with a $125 tax-deductible contribution, which the Foundation triple matches with a $375 contribution. Each teen fundholder begins their philanthropic journey with a $500 fund balance, and every year they may donate 10% of their fund to a Jewish charity, either locally or in Israel. The Shuk gives these young philanthropists the opportunity to learn about the missions of community organizations and discover how their donations can make a positive impact. The Shuk can be the first time teens are introduced to the wide array of diverse organizations working in the community.
“It’s incredibly meaningful to spend time with the next generation of philanthropists at the Shuk,” said Melanie Hayden, chief advancement officer of Jewish Family Services. “Hearing what young people care about and having the chance to share how Jewish Family Services is supporting individuals and families in our community through counseling, food security and social services, makes these conversations so powerful for all of us.”
After visiting the organizations’ booths, a reception was held with child-oriented menu items such as mac and cheese, quesadillas and Dippin’ Dots. The evening concluded with members of the Youth Council sharing personal insights about their positive experiences participating in the B’nai Tzedek program.
Since the program began in 2001, nearly 700 teens have opened funds, and almost $500,000 has been donated to Jewish nonprofits.
More information about the B’nai Tzedek program is available by contacting Suzanne Galblum Dicken at (913) 327-8286 or .